In the paper, a pragmatic approach to finding the dual formulation for isotropic perfectly plastic materials given a dissipation potential dependent on three cylindrical invariants and involving the Ottosen shape function is proposed and illustrated by examples. The main goal is to provide instructions on how to perform the Legendre transformation used when passing from a dissipation potential to its conjugate yield condition and offer some suggestions regarding calibration for particular potentials dependent on the trace of the strain rate tensor and the product of the norm of its deviator and the Ottosen shape function, which covers a wide class of engineering materials. The classic framework for constitutive modelling of thermodynamically consistent materials within the small deformation theory is used. First, general formulae connecting a dissipation potential dependent on three invariants of the strain rate tensor to the coupled yield condition are derived. Then, they are narrowed down for the aforementioned case of dissipation functions dependent on the Lode angle in a way proposed by Ottosen. Finally, three examples are given involving classical potentials: Beltrami’s, Drucker–Prager’s and Mises–Schleicher’s generalised potential using the shape function. Detailed calculations exposing the introduced technique are performed. Also, a method of the calibration of such potentials leading to explicit mathematical formulae is demonstrated, based on the typical tests located on the tension and compression meridians.